The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved two highway projects for Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, entailing a total investment of around ₹25,500 crore.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the development of a 43.218-kilometre link connecting NH-31 and the Varanasi Ring Road along the River Varuna. This is aimed at decongesting the Varanasi city.
This project comprises a 6/4-lane predominantly elevated corridor, which includes the main carriageway, flyovers, loops, ramps, and service roads.
It is all set to be implemented by the NHAI under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) at a total capital cost of ₹10,998.32 crore, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.
Apart from this, the CCEA has approved the development of a corridor between NH-19 and the Varanasi Ring Road with riverbank connectivity along the Ganga river for the decongestion of Varanasi city.
The 46.039-km project will comprise a six-lane elevated main carriageway, an iconic cable-stayed bridge, an extradosed foot-over bridge-cum-major bridge, loops, ramps, link roads and service roads. It will get implemented under at a cost of ₹14,447.64 crore.